Application Engineering

wellhead assembly

power cable

The cable is banded or clamped to both

the production tubing and the ESP
components to support the weight of
the cable. Cable clamp protectors are
used in deviated wells or in wells with
tight equipment clearances.

discharge head

Discharge head

pump

intakes and gas devices

protector

The discharge head is the connection

between the pump and the production
tubing. It bolts to the pump and is
threaded to the tubing.

motor

Phoenix* sensors.

REDA ESP SYSTEM COMPONENTS

The REDA* ESP system includes the

following components:

The REDA ESP surface equipment

consists of
!

fixed speed drive (FSD) or variable

speed drive (VSD)

Pump

The pump adds lift to the wellbore fluid by

converting kinetic energy from the rotation
of pump impellers to potential energy in
the form of hydraulic head.

step-up transformer

Pumps are available in a wide range of

sizes and configurations.

junction box and surface pigtail

Intakes and gas devices

transient voltage surge suppressor.

The wellbore fluid enters the pump

through the intake section.

Wellhead assembly

The wellhead assembly, which allows the

tubing and power cable to pass through
the well to the surface, includes the
following items:
!
!

feed-through mandrel for power cable

lower connector on the main cable,
either field installed or preassembled
at a Schlumberger service facility.

To help reduce the negative effects of gas

on the pump performance, Schlumberger
offers various gas separators and
gas-handling devices, in addition to
standard intakes.
By using the Poseidon multiphase
gas-handling system, REDA ESPs are
able to operate in conditions up to 75%
free gas at the pump intake.

Step-up
transformer

Wellhead
assembly

VSD
or FSD
surface
control
systems

Power cable
Discharge head

Pump

Intake or gas separator

Protector

Motor lead extension

Power cable

The power cable, which supplies

electricity to the ESP motor, is available
in various configurations, both flat and
round profiles, to match the cable to
specific wellbore conditions. Cables
are available in 6, 4, 2, 1, and 1/0
American Wire Gauge (AWG) sizes.

Motor

Phoenix sensor

Application Engineering
Protector

The modular protector provides the ultimate

protection available for keeping well fluids
from entering the motor. It also serves as
a motor oil reservoir, provides pressure
equalization between the motor and the
wellbore, and carries the thrust load of
the pump.
Two styles of protector sections are
available.
!

Labyrinth-type sections use the

difference in specific gravity between
the wellbore and motor fluids to keep
the two separated.
Bag-type sections use an elastomer bag
to isolate the two fluids.

Motor

An electric motor provides rotational

energy to the pump section. REDA ESP
motors are three-phase, two-pole,
squirrel-cage induction-type motors.
The motor is filled with a highly refined
mineral oil to provide dielectric strength,
lubrication, and thermal conductivity.
As with pumps, various sizes of motors
are available.

Instead of operating the ESP at a constant

50 or 60 Hz, the ESP can operate at
speeds greater or less than the grid
power frequency.

BASIC EQUIPMENT SELECTION

Changing the operating speed of the ESP

can optimize the equipment performance
and well productivity during the life of
the well.

DesignPro* ESP design software provides

an accurate and comprehensive evaluation
of the ESP system. As with any software
application, the accuracy of the results
depends on the input data quality.
Complete, accurate well data should be
carefully evaluated to engineer the most
economical and efficient installation.

Step-up transformer

Most REDA ESP motors require voltages

higher than the nominal power grid
voltage of 460 V (60 Hz) or 380 V (50 Hz)
for operation. The reason is that cable
power losses along the length of the
cable are lower for higher voltages.
Higher voltages allow for using smallergauge power cable and lower-amperage
electrical components. Step-up transformers are offered in ranges from 600 V
to 4,850 V.

Phoenix sensors

Phoenix artificial lift monitoring

systems enable advanced monitoring
and control of the ESP performance.

The surface pigtail is the connection

between the feed-through mandrel
and the junction box.

The Phoenix Select* and MultiSensor* XT

monitoring systems offer a broad range
of accurate and reliable downhole
measurements. Either system monitors
ESP and well performance for real-time
monitoring; in-depth analysis; and
diagnostics to extend pump run life,
improve production, and reduce total
lift system costs.

Transient voltage
surge suppressor

The FixStar* FSD connects utility power to

the REDA ESP. The UniConn* universal site
controller integrates with the switchboard
and offers motor protection along with data
display and download capabilities.
SpeedStar* VSDs offer greater flexibility
than a switchboard to operate REDA ESPs.

The following guide and checklist will aid

in ESP system design. The ESP Design Data
Form can be used to collect the design
information required by a Schlumberger
application engineer.
Well data
!

Physical description

Casing size and weight

Junction box and surface pigtail

The junction box is required for all ESP

installations. If gas from the wellbore
should migrate up the power cable to the
surface, the junction box allows this gas
to escape to the atmosphere, away from
confined spaces.

FSDs or VSDs

Selecting the correct REDA ESP system for

each application is important to delivering
the most efficient and reliable operation.

Tubing size, type, and thread

Equipment setting depth
(measured and vertical)
Depth of perforations
(measured and vertical)
Restrictions
Unusual mechanical conditions
!

Production data

Static fluid level or static

bottomhole pressure
Pumping fluid level or flowing
bottomhole pressure

The transient voltage surge suppressor is

a proven device that will protect electrical
equipment against power system surges
and lightning strikes. It should be an
essential component of any REDA ESP
system.

Present producing rate

Bottomhole temperature
Gas/oil ratio
Water/oil ratio
Tubing head pressure
!

Well fluid data

API gravity of oil

Specific gravity of water

Application Engineering
!

Power supply

Surface voltage, phase, and

frequency
Line capacity
!

Unusual conditions

Abrasives
Corrosion
Paraffin
Emulsion
Scale-forming tendencies
!

Performance monitoring

Communication protocol
Data management
Monitoring and surveillance needs
Well production capacity

Accurate determination of a wells

productivity is a major factor in properly
selecting the REDA ESP system. The data
required are an accurate static reservoir
pressure; a producing bottomhole pressure;
and accurate oil, water, and gas production
rates. Liquid-level data can sometimes
be used as a substitute for static and
producing bottomhole pressures.
In wells with low oil cuts and little or
no gas, fluid levels are often acceptable.
In many cases, pressure data inferred
from liquid data can be questionable due
to foaming and a tendency for the oil to
replace the water.
Most oil and many water wells will not
exhibit a true straight line productivity index
(PI) relationship due to gas interference and
turbulence in the wellbore. Over moderate
drawdowns, the PI calculation yielding
capacity in bbl/d/psi [m3/d/kPa] drawdown
produces a reasonable approximation
of capacity. The recommended Vogel
technique yields an inflow performance
relationship capacity that is corrected
for wellbore interference and gives a
better indication of producing potential,
especially at very high drawdowns.

In high-rate oil wells, those producing

with high gas/liquid ratios or with unusual
fluid viscosities, the PI calculation will
deviate from the previously described
procedure. In these wells, the calculations
are a function of the pressure-volumetemperature and viscosity data for the
particular reservoir fluid to be produced.

MOTOR SELECTION

In these more complex applications,

equipment selection calculations are more
easily handled by the DesignPro software.
Total dynamic head

Motor voltage selection must take into

account voltage loss in the cable. Voltage
loss is proportional to cable length and is
a function of cable type and amperage.

To determine the number of stages required

in the pump, the total dynamic head (TDH)
must be determined for a projected rate.
The TDH is the sum of

In deeper wells, a higher voltage motor

should be considered because it requires
smaller-gauge cable than lower-voltage
motors.

!
!

distance of vertical lift from the surface

to the pumping fluid level
friction loss in the tubing
tubing discharge pressure at the
wellhead.

Motors are available in a broad range

of voltage ratings to provide the greatest
versatility of switchboard and cable
selection options. Setting depth is a
determining factor in motor voltage
selection due to the voltage loss at a
particular amperage and cable type.

Motor size

The motor horsepower requirement is

calculated by multiplying the horsepower
per stage from the pump curve by the
number of pump stages and correcting
for the specific gravity of the well fluid.

PUMP SELECTION

Protector seals

Selection of the pump is based on

the estimated pumping rate, TDH, well
conditions, and casing size limitations.
The most economical choice is usually the
largest series (diameter) that the casing
will permit. Pump performance curves
define optimum operating limits for various
motor and pump sizes. The desired capacity
should be within the optimum limits of the
pump performance curves and nearest the
peak efficiency of the pump selected.

There are two styles of protector seals

available: bag and labyrinth. The patented
modular protector seals combine these seal
types in configurations of up to
four chambers. The motor horsepower,
downhole temperature, and thrust bearing
capacity should be taken into consideration
when selecting a protector. Additional
protector information is shown on the
charts in the protector section of the
Schlumberger ESP Catalog.

Pump size

Cable

To determine the number of stages for the

desired capacity, refer to the head capacity
curve (shown on the pump performance
curves) for the selected pump type. These
curves are based on the performance of
one stage in fresh water.
The number of stages required is calculated
by dividing the TDH by the head per stage
from the head capacity curve for the type
of pump selected.

Schlumberger manufactures REDA

ESP power cable in flat and round
configurations from 1/0 AWG through 6
AWG. The optimum cable size is governed
by the amperage, voltage drop, and space
available between the tubing collar and
the casing. The best cable type is based
on the bottomhole temperature and fluids
that will be encountered in the wellbore.

Application Engineering
FSDs

FSDs, commonly known as switchboards,

are available for voltages from 480 through
4,800 V. Selection is based on voltage,
amperage, and horsepower ratings, in
addition to future requirements.
Transformers

Where the voltage of the primary system

is not compatible with the required surface
voltage, a transformer will be required.
Step-up transformers are available to
increase a 480-V line voltage to voltages
of up to 5 kV. Three-phase transformers
are available in many common primary
and secondary voltage ranges.
Effect of VSD on the ESP system

VSDs control the speed of pump operation.

The effect of a VSD change on pump
performance can be calculated from the
pump affinity laws for speed. The laws state
!

!
!

capacity or flow varies directly with

the speed
head varies with the square of speed
horsepower required by the pump varies
with the cube of speed.

The affinity laws for speed can also be

expressed in their respective equation
forms:

Q2 N 2
,
=
Q1 N1
2

H2 ! N 2 $
,
=
H1 #" N1 &%
and
3

P2 ! N 2 $
=
,
P1 #" N1 &%
where Q = flow, H = head, P = power,
and N = speed.
To completely evaluate the effect of the

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Other company, product, and service names are the properties of their respective owners.
Copyright 2008 Schlumberger. All rights reserved. 08-AL-030

VSD change on the pump, the pump affinity

laws would have to be calculated for a
number of points on the pump curve and
then plotted.
Pump shaft performance

The shafts ability to transmit torque does

not vary with speed. The power delivered
at any particular torque is directly
proportional to speed; therefore, the
shaft horsepower rating varies directly
with speed. In equation form, this is
expressed as

SHP2 N 2
=
,
SHP1 N1
where SHP = shaft horsepower rating.
Because the power required by the pump
increases more than the shaft horsepower
rating does with a speed increase, shaft
loading should always be determined for
the maximum frequency of operation.
Protector thrust bearing
load and performance

The thrust load varies approximately as the

square of speed. Forces that do not vary
with speed are negligible.
Speed changes have a complex effect on
thrust bearing performance. Depending
on the bearing type and the temperature,
a speed increase can increase, decrease,
or have no change on the bearing rating.
Consult the graphs in the protector section
of the Schlumberger ESP Catalog to
determine thrust bearing performance.

Motor performance

The best motor performance results

when the motor voltage varies directly
proportional to frequency. The result is
a motor with the following ratings:
!

!
!

horsepower rating varies directly with

frequency
speed varies directly with frequency
voltage rating varies directly with
frequency
current rating does not vary with
frequency.

Internal temperature limits do not vary

with frequency. At high speeds in hot wells,
the temperature limits may override the
horsepower and current ratings.